My last joyous campaign was my first.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

Although I was a very keen Reagan Democrat in the 80's. I regret my feelings tremendously and worked to elect Obama working the phones, attended meet ups and gave 20 bucks nearly every month for over a year. Lived and died with each 538 poll.

But now I'm tired. My hubby is suffering from Dementia. Joy is pretty much gone. Money definitely is as I'm losing my job to younger singers.

I'll be voting and debating Trump supporters on Facebook and at family functions, but it will be draining. He is truly a black hole. I hope we survive. Hillary will have to get some of Sanders people or at least better people dispensing emails asking for contributions. They all sound like I'm not ever going to do enough for a team that is not doing better at messaging and dealing with the new electorate of angry and unemployed people like me. WE DON'T HAVE MONEY. Giving $8.00 to end Citizens United is hysterical.

Anyway. I want her to win very much. I love Obama and his whole family. I want them to take up residence for as long as I'm on this earth. Is that too much to ask?

[lillypaddle]

1. Tough times for you

[SleeplessinSoCal]

10. Thanks. For me and many others. n/t

[Surya Gayatri]

2. Your time is more valuable than money. In the midst of caring for your husband,

a bit of your precious time would be more welcome than $$$.

A couple of hours of phone banking per week to out-of-state (non-CA) battlegrounds would be very welcome to the Clinton/Kaine campaign.

Forget debating the rabid Trumpsters in your entourage. It IS draining, and ultimately futile. If they can't see the evidence of insanity in front of their own eyes, they are and will remain unreachable.

And, remember. Campaign e-mails cast a wide net, generic and non-micro-targeted. Just delete and do your own thing.

Wishing you courage and strength to face your trials.

[BlueMTexpat]

3. +1! eom

[Surya Gayatri]

4. Hey, good to see you, Blue!

[BlueMTexpat]

5. I may not be posting as much

but I am an unrepentant lurker!

Hope that all is well with you!

[Surya Gayatri]

6. Doing okay, thanks! I've not been posting as much, either. Kind of posted-out after the primaries.

And, maybe in shock after that 4-day hate-fest in Cleveland.

I trust the DNC has planned a 180°-opposite kind of convention in Philly, uplifting and inspiring. Lots of great, energizing speakers and good music.

That will go a long way towards neutralizing the toxic effects of Cleveland.

Take care and be well...

[BlueMTexpat]

7. I couldn't bear to

watch. It was threads like bravenak's that kept me current ... and likely more sane. I thank all DUers who risked their sanity so that I could save mine. My TV set likely also would not have survived.

[Surya Gayatri]

8. I watched only the "prime time" moments and that was enough!

This was the nadir of American public political life in the last 100 years.

Rabid race-baiting, cynical character assassination, xenophobic fear-mongering--a disaster dreamed up in hell and vomited out into the body politic.

I could barely stand it, but thought it important to "know thine enemy"--to grasp just what they are capable of.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

11. I hate phone banking. I only did it out of commitment to Obama.

I hate getting the calls now and tell them so. My hatred of Trump is what sustains me and it is unhealthy.

But thank you for your thoughts. I know you mean well. And I wish you well.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

12. Once again - thank you.

[Surya Gayatri]

13. You're welcome. I sincerely hope things work out for you. Being the primary carer for

a dementia patient is one of the most taxing, demoralizing jobs ever.

Give yourself a break and never hesitate to ask for help to lighten the load a bit.

Also, give yourself permission to sit this election campaign out. Consider that you are doing your first duty to family and that your vote on Nov. 8th will be sufficient.

Others will be there to take up the slack.

[sheshe2]

14. Not here much either.

I did the dementia/ Alzheimer route with my dad not long ago. He passed. Now this week mom is not doing well. Her body is giving out. We may be looking at 24/7 care or close to it. Not sure yet.

Sigh...

Tired and unemployed.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

16. My hubby is 18 years my senior. We knew about the sickness and in health part...

And we are fighting it as best we can. He has been a perpetual student and fearful of death. Now he is learning all over again, and the fear is gone. That is the blessing in all this. We're involved in a double blind study and have a geriatric specialist who is the best we could find in our area. Right now he has a chest cold and it scares me to death. I am determined to keep him engaged and exercising. That I understand is key. And since he always has exercised and taken care of himself, it is my duty to pick up the slack and keep him at it.

But the cost to caregivers' health is pretty steep. All the news of the ACA costs going up is very untimely. I tend to think politically these days without being able to control my thoughts at all. We have been fortunate to have union coverage, but those costs have risen considerably.

I think this whole campaign is a nightmare. I blame the media mostly. I blame monopolies. And Roger Ailes. It cheers me to know he's been exposed. But now he has more one on one time with Trump. See? I can't stop myself.....

[SleeplessinSoCal]

17. So sorry. Life is tough. No doubt about it.

I listen to NPR. Today TED talks were on about living forever and being healthy with just a few tweaks to your DNA.

Imagine who gets those benefits.... Not us.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

9. Michael Moore is not helping. & he makes solid points on trump winning

The wikileaks info helps trump. How on earth do we stay informed and positive let alone joyous as in the middle of the 2008 financial meltdown? I was. I cried tears of joy when Obama won. Now my lifelong nemesis, D Trump, is ruling the roost as always.

I locked eyes with that man in 1989 when he publicly displayed his adultry in CHURCH! before the media reported the affaire. He showed up in the pews with Marla Maples and looked around as if to say: "See what I'm doing to Ivana, that bitch". He proceeded to force his name on giant buildings which were already plentiful in Manhattan and destroyed the neighborhood feel of the Upper West Side where I lived for 22 years. We were forced to hear him year after year in his arrogant voice brag as he built and then shirk with each new bankruptcy. He is a steamroller and a black hole in one ugly package. He was handsome once. He thinks he still is with his slow walk to the microphone. Now he's a would-be Putin on the verge.

I am so sick at heart that Obama may have to be nice to him in public. Nobody should be. Least of all President Obama. I partially blame him though for keeping DWS as DNC chair after 2014. They were clueless to the average American household. So we are all to blame in this mess. Including me.

[sheshe2]

15. My heart is with you.

I was there with my dad.

Do what you can when you can. No, it is not easy. It is heartbreaking.